It all begins somewhere...

I’m attracted to all things weathered by life– they have a history, they tell a story. Everything simply becomes more interesting when affected by changes that can be observed over a period of time.

The Japanese use the term Wabi Sabi — an aesthetic rooted in Zen Buddhism. Wabi Sabi is sometimes described as an appreciation of authentic beauty, which is “imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete.” 

“Flawed beauty.” 

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Wabi Sabi is the acknowledgement of three simple realities —  nothing lasts forever, nothing is really finished, and nothing is perfect — and that’s not only ok, but perfectly beautiful. The sublime is found in imperfection.

My paintings begin with stripes of colors, sometimes blocks of color, alternating between thick impasto layers and light glazes of color.  I then work back into them, scraping away the layers to reveal beautiful surprises underneath.  The amount of time between layers, the weather, and how each individual color dries affect the look of the paintings.  Most often there are more than 15 to 20 layers of paint.

It’s a delicate dance between using a light and heavy hand. As I work with a painting I alternate between the application of paint and the excavation process — scraping and digging and removing with tools and various paint mediums. Reducing, adding and reworking until the final painting reveals itself.

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Each painting drives the way, taking me where it wants to go.

Whether it’s a painting of subtle patterns or an undulating color block atmospheric painting, the layers underneath create intrigue and mystery. Our eyes want something to seek out and hold onto.  The layering and scraping is integral to the painting — creating a strong base to build upon. 

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Art has always been part of my life – I can’t remember a time without it.  My mother painted and sculpted. My grandfather would paint away entire Indiana frozen winters, sequestering himself in the attic with his paints and canvases.  My aunt took up painting later in life, creating beautiful still-life's and landscapes in watercolor. They are the base upon which my art is built. In a real sense my work is layered on top of what came before me.